CIPC Annual Returns

What is CIPC Annual Returns?

All companies (including external companies) and close corporations are required by law to lodge their annual returns within a certain period of time every year.

An annual return is a statutory return in terms of the Companies and Close Corporations Acts. Failure to file annual return results in the Commission assuming that the company and/or close corporation is not doing business or is not intending doing business in the near future. Non-compliance with annual returns may lead to deregistration, which has the effect that the juristic personality is withdrawn and the company or close corporation ceases to exist.

Companies have 30 business days from the date when annual returns become due to file annual returns before before they are considered non-compliant with the Companies Act.


Close corporations have, from the first day of its anniversary month up until thereafter, to file annual return before they are considered non-compliant with the Close Corporations Act.